Game apparatus



Dec.. 18, 1928.

W. W. WELPLEY GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 9, 1927 I y vra/e,

A of a relatively simple and inexpensive"appa Patented :Dec."18, 192 8.

UNITED STATES P TENT FF WALTER w. WELPLEY, or H WTHORNE, CALIFORNIA; Assroiu'on. or oN'n-HALP- TO B. o. PROULX, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA; I

GAME PPARATUS.

, Application filed November My invention relates toa'ga'me apparatus. and has for its principal object the prov sion ratus that may be played or manipulated by one or more players, or contestants, and which will afford interesting and amusing entertainment byreason of thefact that the play of 'thegame represents the flights of aeroplanes to different countries or cities of the world.

A further object of my invention isto provide a game apparatus of the character referred to, which has in addition to its entertaming and amusing qualities, the desirable feature ofinstruction, inasmuch as the apparatus and its play involves some of the primary principles of the attractions ofbodies as the result of magnetism. j

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be morefully described and claimed andillustrated in the acoompanying drawing, in 'which' Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a game apparatusembodying the principles ofmy invention. a

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal crosssectio'n taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

V Fig. 3 is an end view of one of theparts of the apparatus and which is shaped so as to represent an aeroplane. c

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, designates the-base of the apparatus on which the game ls'played, said base being preferably constructed,of suitable thin material such as cardboard, wood, Veneer, sheet metal, or the like, and said base being preferably square orrectangular in The base is supported on asuitable frame work 11, and which latter may include two or more longitudinally disposed members and one or morecross members.

Secured in any suitable manner at the rear end of the base 10, is an upwardly projecting rail. 12, that extends entirely across said base, and secured in any suitable? manner'on top of said rail,'and" preferably spaced at equal distances apart, are a number of ordinary horse shoe'magnets 13. j

Paintedor printed on the front face of the rail 12, and directly beneath the mag- 9, 1927. Serial No. 232,048. r

nets 13, are panels let containing the names of different cities or countries."

Paintedorprinted on theupper face of {the base 10, directly below and in front of the panels-14, are spots or small areas circumscribed by circlescand which may be provided with suitable designating numerals or characters, and which spots are adapted to receive markers utilized in keeping score of the game. Secured front thereof, are the lower ends of an up right frame comprising vvertically disposed to the sides of the'base 10, near the 1 side members 16, and an upper cross bar 17, which latter is provided withtwo or more downwardly bent-portions 18.;

Encircling the cross bar 17, and fitting loosely thereupon, isa loop or ring 19, that V is formed integral with or fixed to the upper end of a swinging arm 20, the-same carrying at 1t-s lower end a magnet 21, preferably of horseshoe shape and the attractive power of which is slightlyless than that of the mag nets v13. c

I-prefer to construct the swinging arm 20 from wire ora small rod, although insome 1 instances and particularly" where the apparatus is made in larger, sizes for outdoorjplay,

sod,

this swinging arm maybe formed of a cable,

cord, or chain.

Painted or printed, on'the surface of the base 10, between the members 1610f the u V rlght frame, are spots or markedareas 22, I

that are preferably arranged in longitudinal alignment with the spots 15 and the magnets 13, and which spots '22 serve, as points to position the aeroplane representing members that are utilized in the play of the game.

' The game pieces, one of which is illustrated in front elevation in Fig. 3, are preferably formed from softiron, and theyare shaped to represent an aeroplane. Each game piece consists ofa horizontally disposedplate 23, thatcrepresents the wingsof a plane, ardownwardly and rearwardly projecting portion 24, that represents the fuselage of a plane, and

projecting laterally from'the forward. pore tion of the member 24 are short horizontally disposed plates 25, thatserve to support'the game piece in upright position on the-plane In the play of myimproved game,' the game piece represents, an aeroplane as pofin ers of the hand en a in the ma netQI b b 2"! t3 the arm. is drawn forwardly and upwardly until it occupies an angular posit-ion as illus- The magnet is now retrated in Fig. 1. leased, and through gravity said magnet and the arm 21 will swing outwardly, thence rearwardly and upwardly describing an arc having the member 17 as its axis. If the arm is manipulated so as to swing directly over the game piece positioned on the plane field, the magnet 21 will, as it passes over the game piece, attract and pick up the same as a result of the attractive powers of the magnet, for metals such as soft iron, and if the game piece is so picked up it will be carried with the magnet rearwardly and upwardly as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In the event that the arm properly manipulated. so that the magnet 21 passes directly over one of the magnets 13, the latter will, by reason of'its greater attractive power than magnet 21, draw the game piece from said last mentioned magnet and said game piece will be transferred to said magnet 13, and thus the player who successfully manipulates the swinging arm 20 and magnetQl, makes, according to'the rules of the game, a successful flight, and scores a point in the game.

During the play of the game, the loop 19 may be positioned in anyone of the depression's 18, the latter serving as a bearing for the loopduring the swingin action of the magnet carrying member 20, orthe loop 19 may be positioned atany point on the cross bar 17 at the top of the upri ht frame.

The directions for the play of the game may be printed on the base 10, between the spots or areas-15 and 22. I I

A game apparatus of my improved construction is comparatively simple, maybe readily manipulated, and affords a pleasing, entertaining and instructive amusement, particularly for children.

The form of the game apparatus herein illustrated is particularly designed for indoor play, but practically the same apparatus in larger form may be constructed and employed for outdoor play, in which latter event the distance of the flights will of course be much greater, and consequently the manipulation of the swinging member that carriesthe magnet 21 will require greater skill in making successful flights.

It 'will'be understoodthatininor changes in the size. form and construction of the various parts of my improved game apparatus may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of myinvention, the scope of which is set forth in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gar e apparatus, a permanent magnet suspende d so as to swing through a vertical are, a relatively fixed permanent magnet positioned adjacent to the path of movement of the swinging magnet, and a game piece that is adapted to be attracted by said magnets.

2. In "a gameapparatus, a permanent magnet suspended so as to swing through a vertical are, a relatively fixed permanent magnet positioned adjacent to the path of movement of the swinging magnet, the attractive power of therelat'ively fixed magnet being greater than thatof the swinging magnet, and a game piece that is adapted to be attracted by said magnets.

3. In a game apparatus, a permanent magnet mounted to swing through a vertical arc, a relatively fixed permanent magnet positioned adjacent to the path of travel of the swinging magnet, and a game piece of metal that is shaped to represent an aeroplane and which game piece is adapted to be attracted by said magnets.

4. In a game apparatus, apairof magnets, one of which is mounted for swinging movement relative to the other, the swinging magnet having less attractive power than the other magnet, and an aeroplane repre'sentin game piece adapted to 'be attracted and picked up by the swinging magnet and transferredto the stationary magnet.

5. In a game apparatus, a playing board, an upright frame thereon, a permanent magnet suspended for swinging. movement upon said frame, a series of permanent magnets arranged on said iplayin board, and a game piece that is adapted to e attracted by said magnets.

'6. In a game apparatus, a playing board, I

an upright frame positioned thereon, a permanentmagnet suspended for swinging movement from the upper portion of said frame, a series of permanent magnets mounted on the rear portion of the frame, the

a series of permanent magnets mounted on the rear portion of the playing board, and

anaeroplane representing game piece adapted to=be attracted by said magnets. 1

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

WALTER W.,WELPLEY. 

